Take-up mechanism for knitting machines



Dec. 2, K. HOWIE v TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept.1'7, 1921 3 She'ets-Sheet 1 Inventor: QK'enmfia) Jiawie,

Dec. 2, 1924. v 1,511,992

K. ow":

TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1921 s sheeps-sheet -2 Inuen'lvr;

I Jfomi fi K. HQWIE TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept.17', 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet s 152128711022- Kenn efh Jibwie,

Patented Dec, 2, 1924,

KENNETH HO'WIE, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T WILDMAN MFG.

60., OF NOBRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed September 17, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH IIowrn, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Norristown, in the county of Montgomcry, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTakeUp Mechanism for Knitting Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

One object of the invention is to provide a take-up mechanism which willmaintain a substantially uniform tension on the fabric under all varyingconditions, such as variations in the thickness of the fabric or differ-3111068 in the rate of production at the nee- In carrying out theinvention the ordinary take-up rolls between which the fabric passes inusual practice are dispensed with and the fabric is taken up by theoperation of a winding roll. In the particular embodiment of theinvention as herein shown this roll is controlled by a full throw clutchof the general form disclosed in my Patent 1,470,741 of May 20, 1921.The clutch means in the present improvement is controlled from a gravityroll or member suspended in a loop of the fabric on its way from theneedles to the said roll on which the fabric is wound.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is aside view of a take-up mechanism embodying the invention. Figs. 2 and 3are views showing 35 the parts in diiferent positions. Fig. 4 is a planview of part of the gravity roll and the frame in which it is held.

In these drawings A indicates the tubular fabric in fiat form asit comesdown from the knitting head. It passes under a gravity roll 1, thence upover a guide roll 2, and down past another guide roll 3 to a fabricwinding-take-up roll 4, which latter may be of any suitable form such assquare in cross 45 section.

The ordinary pinch take-up rolls are not used.

The winding roll is driven by a worn wheel 5 meshing with a worm 6 looseon a shaft 7 rotated by a gear 8 meshing with a Serial N0. 501,255.

circular rack 9 held in fixed position and y I bracket 13 and thisbracket affords a bearing for the shaft of the winding roll to which theworm wheel 5 is attached. There is of course a bracketlike 13 at theother side of the machine attached to anddepending from the rotarytakeup plate, for affording a bearing for the far end of the shaft ofthe winding roll. The guide roll 3 bears in these depending brackets.

The worm 6 is driven through a full throw clutch consisting of a member15 in the 7 form of a sleeve splined to the shaft 7, having a clutchtooth 16 to engage a clutch tooth 18 on the sleeve member carrying theworm 6, and having also a cam 19 and a groove 20 cooperating with springpins 21, 22, carriedloy a block or housing 23 which forms part of alever 24 pivoted at 25 to the bracket 13 and having an arm 26 connectedby a link 27 with an arm 28 fixed on a shaft 29 having its endsjournalled in the side frames or brackets 30 attached to the rotatingtake-up plate or ring 14. This shaft has fixed thereon the arms 31 inwhich the journals of the gravity roll 1 hear. The free ends of the armsare connected by a rod 32 upon which a weight may be hung to supplementthe weight of the gravity roll 1 and by which the weight sustained bythe loop in the fabric may be adjusted to suit conditions.

Ball bearings are employed to reduce friction and the rolls 1, 2, 3 maybe provided with such bearings.

The frame carrying the gravity roll by its movement up and down controlsthe operation of the full throw clutch. This clutch drives the windingroll in a positive manner by the contact of the teeth 16,18, metal tometal, and these teeth are either fully engaged with, or fullydisengaged from each other. the operation of the clutch being such thatit is either all the way out or all the way in operation. In Fig. l thegravity roll 1 and its frame are shown in a position midway of its upperand lower limits of move ment. This frame thus being in horizontalposition and the extreme upper and lower limits of movement beingindicated by the dotted lines 02 and 1 The clutch. out of operation in land the winding roll is at rest because no movement being transmittedthrough the worm and worm wheel. The clutch sleeve 15 will be inconstant rotation. however. because it is splined to the constantlyrotating shaft 7.

As the fabric is knit off and consequently lengthens, the gravity roll 1hanging in a loop thereof will move down with its supporting or carryingframe and this will cause the link 27 to be drawn upwardly, tiltinglever 24 about its pivot 535 so that the pin or plunger 21 will bewithdrawn from the groove 20 of the clutch member and this will drop allthe way down and. into full driving engagement with the companion clutchmember formed as a part of the worm sleeve and thus the worm will bedriven positively and the winding roll will be driven to take up andwind the fabric in the form of a roll as it continues to be knit offbythe needles. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 2.

The gravity roll is free to turn in its ball bearings and simply hangingas it does in the loop of the fabric its action upon the fabric isuniform despite varying conditions of the latter. The presence of wellsin the fabric will not alter the tension thereon as these are passingthe gravity roll, the effect being different in this respect from thatwhich takes place with pinch rolls between which the fabric passes as inordinary practice.

The engagement of the clutch just mentioned is due to the full strokeaction of the clutch sleeve which. when released by the (log. or pin isfree to drop all the way down into full engagement with the lower clutchmember. lf now the loop of the fabric in which the gravity roll hangs,shortens because of the difference between the rate of production ofknitting at the needles and the take-up or winding capacity of the fab--ric winning roll. the gravity roll with its pivoted frame will rise asin Fi 3 and the link 2? will be pushed downwardly thus tilt ing thelever 24 towards the right forcing the spring plungers or pins 21, 22towards the clutch sleeve 15 and when the Cilll'l portion of the flange19 comes around opposite the pin 22 this pin will spring into the spaceor cut away portion of the cam in position so that the incline 19*- ofthe cam will ride on the pin or plunger 22 and thus the clutch member 15will be lifted to disengage its tooth, by a full throw nun/emcnt fromthe tooth of the clutch portion of the worm and the worm will cease todrive the winding roll. The lifting of the clutch member 15 will bringits annular groove opposite the spring pin 21 so that this willimn'iediatcly spring into place and hold the clutch merit ber 15 lifted.

The conditions just described will continue for only a short time.because the fabric as it continues to be knit off, will increase inlength and allow the gravity roll 1 with its supporting frame to swingdown thus tilting lever 24; and withdrawing the plunger 2] from theclutch member and a lowing this to fall by a full throw action o resumedriving the worm and taking up and winding the fabric. The clutch beingeither completely all the way out of or all the way in engagement avoidsthe objections which would exist if the two clutch members were throwngradually into or 'adually out o 2 engagement, these objections beingundue wear on the clutch teeth by reason of the succession of taps orknocks they would be subjected to. rendering them liable to be chippedat the edges or corners, and also giving rise to a noisy action.

lVhat is claimed to be new is:

1. In. combination in a take-up mecnanism for knitting machines, afabric winding-take-up roll, a worm and worm wheel for driving the saidroll, a drive shaft, a clutch for connecting the worm with the driveshaft, a lever pivotally mounted and controlling the clutch, agravitating member suspended in a loop of the fabric on its way to saidroll and a connection extending from th gravitating member to said leverby which the up and down movements of said gravitating member willoperate the said lever. said lever carrying a pair of spring plungers,and a member of said clutch having a. cam portion to ride on one of saidplungers for lifting the clutch and having also a collar to receive theother spring plunger by which the clutch member will be held out ofaction. substantially as described.

2. In a takeup mechanism for knitting machines and in combination, arotary take-up ring a fabric winding-take-rup roll, arranged below andsuspended from said take-up ring, a vertical shaft rotating in bearingscarried by said ring and revolving about the axis of the machine withsaid take-up ring, a gear on the upper part of said shaft, a fixed rackwith which said gear meshes for rotating'the shaft gearing be tween theshaft and the winding roll, a clutch controlling said gearing, agravitat ing member suspended in a loop of the fabric on its way fromthe needles to the wind ing roll and a connection for controlling the*clutch, from th up and, down movement of the gravitating member,substantially as described.

3. In combination in a tal eup mech anism for knitting machines, arotary take-up ring, standards mounted on said ring, a frame pivotallymounted in said standards, a gravitating member on the frame suspendedin a loop of the fabric, a guide roll hearing in said standards abovethe plane of said gravitating member and over which the fabric passes, awinding roll to which the fabric passes after leaving said guide roll,means for supporting the winding roll from the rotary take-up plate at apoint below th same, drive means for the winding roll including a clutchand a connection for controlling the clutch from the up and downmovements of the gravitating member and frame, substantially asdescribed.

4. In combination, in take-up mechanism for knitting machines, a fabrictake-up and winding roll, a clutch for driving said take-up rollcomprising a shifting sleeve carrying a cam member and an opposingmember to be engaged by said sleeve, and a collar, a pivotally mountedlever, a pair of yielding pins carried by the lever for engagmgrespectively the cam and the collar for withdrawing and holding thesleeve from the opposing clutch member, means bearing on the fabric, anda rod connection from said means to the lever for moving the latter inaccordance with variations in the rate of travel of the fabric,substantially as described.

5. In combination in take-up mechanism for knitting machines, a rotarytake-up plate, a fabric winding roll located below the take up plate,brackets depending from the take-up plate and in which the winding rollbears, a shaft carried by the take-up plate and depending therefrom,gearing for driving said shaft, driving means between the lower part ofsaid shaft and the winding roll including two clutch members, one looseon the shaft and the other driven by, but slidably connected therewith,means deriving power from said depending shaft for releasing the clutchand a member engaging the fabric and influenced by the rate of travel ofsaid fabric for controlling the last mentioned means to release theclutch upon decrease and to set said clutch upon increase in the rate oftravel of the fabric, substantially as described.

6. In combination in take-up mechanism for knitting machines, a rotarytake-up plate, a fabric winding and take-up roll brackets depending fromthe take-up plate and in which the winding roll bears, a shaft carriedby the take up plate and depending therefrom, gearing for driving saidshaft, driving means between the said shaft and the Winding rollincluding a clutch member loose on the shaft and a second member abovethe first and splined to the shaft, a cam member connected to the lastmentioned clutch member and likewise rotated through the power derivedfrom said depending shaft, and a controlling member thrown into and outof engagement with said cam for releasing or setting the clutch and amem ber bearing on and influenced by the rate of travel of the fabric,with connections to the controlling member for setting it in or out ofengagement with the cam, substantially as described.

7. In combination in take-up mechanism for knitting machines, a rotarytake-up ring, a fabric winding roll,hangers depending and supporting thesame from the take-up ring, a shaft depending from the take-up ring andgeared to the fixed frame to be rotated as the ring rotates, drivingmeans between said shaft and the winding roll including a clutch, onemember of which is driven by the said shaft and is slidably mountedthereon, said member having a cam and a collar connected therewith, alever pivotally mounted on one of the depending brackets and having apair of spring pins to engage said cam and collar respectively, said camwhen engaged by its pin releasing the clutch through power derived fromsaid depending shaft, a member bearing on the fabric and a connectionfrom said member for swinging the said lever, substantially asdescribed.

8. In combination in take-up mechanism for knitting machines, a windingtake-up roll, a shaft with gearing for driving said roll, two toothedclutch members on the shaft, one splined to the shaft and the otherconnected with the gearing, a gravitating member suspended in a loop ofthe fabric on its way from the needles to the winding roller and risingand falling with changes in the rate of travel of the fabric between theneedles and winding roll and power operable means for causing a fullthrow relative movement to the toothed clutch members, and means forrendering said power operable means effective for throwing out theclutch when the gravitating member rises and for effecting resetting ofthe clutch when said member falls, substantially as described.

9. In combination, a rotary take-up plate, a winding take-up rollsuspended from said plate, a shaft extending vertically and suspendedfrom said plate, a stationary rack on the frame, a gear on the suspendedshaft near the upper end thereof meshing with the rack to rotate thesuspended shaft, a clutch on the lower end of the shaft comprising anupper toothed member splined on the shaft, and a lower toothed memberloose on the shaft, a worm on the loose clutch member, a worm wheel onthe shaft of the winding take-up roll, a cam connected with the splinedclutch member means to engage and disengage the cam for moving thesplined clutch member Vertically on the shaft, a roll suspended in a.loop of the fabric as it passes from the needles to the Winding roll, aSupport for said roll pivotally mounted on the rotary takeup plate and aconnection from said pivoted support ext-- tending downwardly to the camcontrolling means to set it in or out of engagement with said cam,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

KENNETH HO /VIE.

